Dance
…isn't merely entertainment, but a soulful, skillful experience for
student-artists and audiences alike.
Olyvia Mugweh ’17 on dance at Rowland Hall: "Sofia helped me find myself as a dancer, and in that, I was able to find myself as a person."
Dance concerts often showcase contemporary movement, but as part of the curriculum, students also learn traditional styles. Here, upper schoolers channeled that knowledge to choreograph and perform this fun, kitschy, roaring-twenties tribute—a crowd-pleasing video intro for Rowland Hall's 2017 auction, the Great Gala.
Whether taking a dance class or becoming fully immersed in the choreographic, rehearsal, performance, and social aspects of our Ensemble program, aspiring and accomplished dancers find our program inspirational and deeply involving.
Professional dancer Sofia Gorder and her team direct and choreograph middle and upper schoolers across the full gamut of styles—from modern dance to musical theater, and from jazz improvisation to contemporary ballet. Every year, two dance concerts—one in fall, one in winter—energize our school community.
Programming
Rowland Hall offers a yearlong Lower School Dance Ensemble for second through fifth graders in our Extended Day Arts and Ensembles program. Once they're in middle and upper school, dancers are placed in Ensembles 1–6, but they're encouraged to reach across course levels and age groups to learn from one another. Dancers, after all, often work collaboratively to build something larger than themselves.
Sofia Gorder
Director of Arts and Upper School Director of Danceget to know sofia